wind shear

noun

: a radical shift in wind speed and direction that occurs over a very short distance

Examples of wind shear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then slow weakening is forecast as the storm moves over cooler waters and encounters dry air and wind shear. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 This weekend and early next week this area will encounter some strong wind shear and drier Saharan dust. — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 But thanks to El Niño, that wind shear remains stubbornly in place and has recently become record strong, according to Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane expert with Colorado State University. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 There are huge swaths of storm-slowing wind shear in the Atlantic, as well as a broad patch of dry Saharan dust. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wind shear

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wind shear was in 1895

Rhymes for wind shear

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Browse Nearby Words

wind-shaken
wind shear
wind sheet
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wind shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind%20shear. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

wind shear

noun
: a radical shift in wind speed and direction that occurs over a very short distance

More from Merriam-Webster on wind shear

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wind shear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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